Indexing apparatus for printing presses



Jan. 19, 1954 R. w. BENDER INDEXING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 2 5, 1951 T mw m m Jan. 19, 1954 R. w. BENDER INDEXING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES 2 Sheets-Shet 2 Filed Feb. 23 1951 INVENTOR. @ber/We/zoer BY M Patented Jan. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE INDEXING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Kans.

Application February 23, 1951, Serial No. 212,390

3 Claims. (01. 101-248) This invention relates to an indexing apparatus for selectively andautomaticallyrendering any one of a plurality of imprinting means effective in 'a printing press while the press is in operation. For example, the subject matter of-a circular, catalog or the like, is suitable for the use of many merchants handling the class of goods described therein. Consequently, such catalogs or the like may be economically printed in mass quantities on high speed presses. However, it is impractical to stop such presses after each individual merchants supply has been printed and change the printing set-up to print the name and address or other data that renders the supplies of the catalogs or the like individual to the merchants. It has therefore been the practice in most printing establishments to complete the total run of catalogs or the like after which the quantities required by each merchant are printed with the different names, addresses, and other matter required by the respective merchants. It is obvious that the rehandling of the catalogs materially increases the cost of the printing jobs.

It is therefore the principal object of the present invention to provide such high speed presses with means for printing the individualizing distinguishing matter required by the respective merchants and to selectively render the respective printing set-ups effective without stopping the press when making the change-over after a required number of articles have been printedv for any one of the merchants to be supplied.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an indexing apparatus for selecting the desired printing set-up that is of simple construction, positive in operation, and which permits accurate registry and timing with the press; and to provide an indexing apparatus which enables an extremely quick change of the printing setup without clashing of parts or possibility of damaging the press.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved structure the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: 1

Fig. l is a sectional view of a portion of a high speed rotary press and an indexing apparatus constructed and mounted in accordance I with the present invention, and showing the clutching elements interengaged to retain one of a plurality of printing set-ups or plates in timed relation with a blanket cylinder of the press.

- Fig. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view similar with the strip l0.

2 to Fig. 1 but showing the clutching elements disengaged as when changing from one printing setup or plate to another. I

Fig. 3 is a similar fragmentary section showing the clutch elements returning to engaged position for retaining the next selected printing setup or plate in timed relation with the blanket cylinder.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 1, the section being shown of slightly smaller scale than the section of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a similar cross section on the line 5--5 of Fig. l. I

Fig. 6 is a section taken at the point indicated by the line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a cross section through the printing set-up and blanketing cylinder of the press.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I and 2 designate respectively the blanket and printing. cylinders for printing special material on a paper web being run in a conventional high speed rotary press indicated by a side frame member 3 of Fig. 1. The cylinders I and2 are fixed on transverse shafts 4 and 5 (see Figs. 1 and '7) which are suitably journalled in the side frames 3 of the press. Fixed to a projecting end of the blanket cylinder shaft is a pinion gear 6 which meshes with a gear I mounted coaxially of the projecting end 8 of the printing cylinder shaft 5 and which is adapted to be connected therewith by clutch means controlled by an indexing mechanism 9. The printing cylinderZ may be provided with a plurality of printing plates arranged circumferentially thereof and adapted to cooperate individually with a blanket strip l0 located on the circumference of the blanket cylinder I. ,For simplicity, the printing cylinder in the illustrated instance is shown is equipped with two printing plates II and I2 that are arranged on diametrically opposite sides thereof and each is provided with a different printing set-up to cooperate with the blanket strip I ii of the blanket cylinder to effect printing on the paper web i3 that is being run through the press. It is to be understood that the cylinders l and 2 are related to the other printing rolls of the press (not shown) and are operated in timed relation therewith so as to effect printing on the web is depending upon which of the plates I l and I2 is moved into timed relation For example, in printing the web 1 3 to make up a catalog, the printing plate I2 may be set to register with the blanket strip and maintain printing relationship therewith until a given number of imprints have been 2.; delivered from the press. The indexing mechanism 9 will then be operated to effect movement of the plate i2 out of printing relation with the strip Hi and the printing plate H into printing registry whereby the plate II will be effective in printing the subsequent run through the press. The plates H and i2 may be of any suitable character and applied to the cylinder 2 in any desired manner; for example, by use of sticky-back material that is well known in the printing industry.

The indexing and control mechanism, embodying the features of the present invention, generally includes a driving member M, a driven "member I5, a selecting mechanism l6, an actuator Ff, and a brake mechanism 8.

The driven member 15 includes acylindrical head l9 having a hub portion 29 of smaller diameter to provide an annular shoulder '21. The driven member has an axial bore 22 to receive the projecting end 8 of the shaft when the driven member is mounted thereon and retained in fixed relation therewith by means of a key 23 en gaging in registering key grooves 24 and 2'5 within the driven member i 5 and shaft 5 respectively. The driven member [-5 is retained on the shaft by a plate 26 that is seated within the outer end of the bore 22 and retained by cap screws 21 that are turned into internally threaded sockets 28 provided in the outer end of the shaft 5, as best shown in Fig. 1. Mounted on the hub portion of the driven member and engaging the annular shoulder 2| is an antifriction bearing 29 which cooperates with a bearing sleeve '30 in journalling the driving member M on the driven member IS. The gear 1 has an axial bore 3| to receive the bearing sleeve 39 and a counterbore 32 extending inwardly from the outer side face of the gear to receive therein a hub portion 33 of the driving member I4. The driving member M also includes an annular flange 34 that encircles the hub and cooperates therewith in providing an annular shoulder 35 engaging the outer side face of the gear 1. The hub of the driving member also has an axial bore 33 conforming with the axial bore 3| of the gear and a counterbore 31 to accommodate the antifriction thrust bearing '29 as best shown in Fig. 1.

The gear 1 and driving member 14 are interconnected as a unit by cap screws 38' extending through openings '39 in the gear and into threaded sockets 40 in the hub of the driving member, the heads 4| of the screws being preferably inset with the inner side face of the gear I to prevent interference with the brake mechanism I8 and permit a more compact structure. Carried on the flange 34 of the driving member is a clutch ring 42 which encircles the cylindrical head [9 of the driving member l4 and has circwnferentially spaced notches 43 on the inner circumference thereof which correspond in number with the number of printing plates to be used On the printing cylinder 2' which, in the illustrated instance, are two in number and are therefore diametrically arranged. The notches 43 have tapered side faces 44 converging toward a bottom face 45 to permit free entrance of a clutch element 46 that is carried by the driven member is as now to be described.

The clutch element 46 is pivotally mounted within a longitudinal recess 41 that is provided in the periphery of the cylindrical portion of the driven member 15 and is of a length and depth to completely receive the clutch element 46 therein. The clutch element 46 is pivotally mounted within the recess on a transverse pin 48 and has a free end 49 that is provided with biasly arranged bevel faces 5!! on opposite sides thereof to conform with the faces 44 of the notches 43, as best shown in Fig. 4. The clutch element 45 is normally urged into engagement with the tapered inner circumference of the clutch ring 12 so as to effect entrance into one of the notches 43 whenever the clutch element 46 registers therewith, as later described. This is effected by a spring 5! which is seated in a recess 52 of the driven member [5 and presses against a-ball 53 that seats in a ball socket 54 on the inner side face of the clutch member 46 as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. The clutch ring is secured to the outer side face of the flange 34 by studs '55 having threaded ends 56 extending through openings 5'! in the clutch ring and into internally threaded openings 58 in the flange of the driving member l4. Threadedly mounted on the studs are jam nuts 59 for clamping the clutch ring against the flange of the driving member. 'Ihestuds 58 include postportions 60 for carrying the selecting mechanism it and to mount the actuator mechanism H. The mechanism I"! includes a disk 6| carrying laterally disposed circumferentially spaced bushings 2-2 staked or otherwise secured in openings 63 of the disk and which have inner bores t l to receive the post portions B6 of the studs so that the disk M is slidably supported thereby to move in an axial direction to and from the driving and driven members 14 and 15.

The disk iii may be reinforced by a backing plate 65 to mount a lug carrier 66 which may be formed of rings 6? and 68 suitably connected together by cap screws 69. The disk s! and plate 65 have registering axial openings it and TI to mount a nut 12 having an internally threaded bore 13. The nut 12 cooperates with a spacer 14 "to clamp the backing plate 65 and disk 6| therebetween when a nut 15 is applied on a threaded stud it which also mounts the nut and spacer T4. The spacer 14 has an annular recess 11 to freely mount the ring s! thereon so that the lug carrier may have slight relative rotation with respect to the disk M as limited by a pin '18 that projects from the outer face of the ring 6'! and engages within a relatively short arcuate slot 19 in the disk 61 and backing plate '85, as shown in Fig. l. The pin 18 is yieldingly retained at the end of the arcuate slot 19 in the direction of rotation of the driving member by means of a bow spring or like resilient member having one end mounted on a pin BI carried on the inner face of the disk SI and the other end mounted on a pin 82 that is carried on the outer face of the ring 6'1, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5. Carried by the ring 63 are a plurality of selecting members or lugs 83, there being a lug for each of the notches '43 in the clutch ring 42 of the driving member. The lugs 83 are mounted to move over the periphery of the drivenmember and have flat side faces 85 and 85 and inner faces 81 snugly contacting the periphery of the driven member. The lugs are mounted by providing the ends thereof with threaded shanks 88 that extend through openings '89 in the ring 63 and are clamped therein by jam nuts 90 as shown in Fig. l. The lug carrier ring and disk assembly are normally retained in retracted position, shown in Fig. l, by means of coil springs 6| that are sleeved on the guide post portions 60 and have one of their ends seated on the jam nuts 59 and their opposite ends seated against the bushings E2. The disk and carrier ring are adapted to be shifted axially' to carry the lugs 83 into engaging position relatively to the clutch element 46 by the actuator I1 now to be described.

The actuator I! may be of any suitable type adapted for remote operation, however, in the illustrated instance, the actuator includes a flexible diaphragm 92 clamped to the inner face of a dish-shaped disk 95 by a ring 64, the clamping action being effected about the periphery of the diaphragm 92 by cap screws 95 that extend through registering openings 85 in the disk '93, diaphragm 62, and ring 94 into internally threaded sockets 91 that are provided in the ends of the guide posts as shown in Fig. 1. It is obvious that the cap screws 95 also secure the actuator in coaxial relation with the selector mechanism. The dish portion or" the disk 93 cooperates with the diaphragm 92 in forming a pressure chamber 98 and into which an actuating fluid is injected'through a swivel connector 59 with a supply duct I013 that is connected with a suitable valve mechanism (not shown) but preferably located at the control station of the press.

Carried by the stud I6 and in position to engage the inner face of the diaphragm is a disklike push plate Ii'il against which the inner side of the diaphragm bears so that when fluid pressure medium is injected into the pressure chamber, the diaphragm is flexed to efiect a move me'nt of the lug carrier toward the driven member so'that the lugs are in position to control and be engaged by the clutch element as as later described. The brake mechanism I3 may include a drum I02 that is mounted on a reduced extension I 93 of the hub portion of the driven member, the drum being fixed thereon by means of suitable-set screws I64 as shown in Fig. 1. Extending about the periphery of the drum is a brake band I65 having the ends thereof connected with a pressure cylinder I06 through'a. suitable toggle mechanism I 67 mounted on the side frame of the press, as shown in Fig. 1. The cylinder I06 is supplied with pressure fluid simultaneously with the supply to the diaphragm chamber through a branch pipe I68. It is obvious that the actuator mechanisms may be of, other structures and difierentially operated from a remote source without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In usingthe apparatus constructed and as- I sembled as described, the printing plates II and I2 are applied to the printing cylinder 2 and the corresponding blanket strip I6 is applied to the cylinder I. Since two plates are employed, they are located on exactly opposite diametrical sides of the printing cylinder. When the plate. I2 is in printing position, the clutch element 46 is engaged with one of the notches in the clutch ring 42 as shown in Fig. 1. With the press in operation the brake I8 is released and the actuator I1 for the lug carrier is in retracted position. During operation of the press, the blanket and printing cylinders are operating in timed and desired registering relation to efiect proper printing by means of the plate I2 since the driving and driven members. are positively connected by means of the clutch element 46 and the clutch ring 42.

As above stated, the lug carrier is in retracted position but the entire lug carrier is rotating with the driving member to maintain one of the lugs in aligning registry with the clutch element. After a desired number of copies have been printed in the press and it is desired to shift to the plate I I, the control at the control station of the press is operated to admit pressure fluid to the diaphragm chamber of the actuator and the brake actuating cylinder I66 to effect contraction of the brake band I05 about the brake drum I 62 and cause movement of the lug carrier toward the driving and driven members so that the lug then in alignment ith the clutch element 46 raises the clutch element out of engagement with the notch in the clutch ring. The driving member is now free to move in advance of the retarded or driven member during which time the free end of the clutch element is supported by the track of the clutch ring. However, due to the shape of the clutch element a portion 49' thereof projects a suificient distance from the periphery of the driven member so that it is in position to be engaged by the following lug on the lug carrier and when this engagement is effected, the driving and driven members are rotated in unison. As soon as the lug has engaged the projecting portion of the clutch element, the pin I8 shifts to the opposite end of the arcuate slot 79 to load the spring 86, as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. The clutch element 46 is then in registry with and slides, under action of the spring 51, into the notch to provide a positive driving connection between the driving and driven members. The printing cylinder is in proper relation with the blanket cylinder to efiect printing by means of the plate II. With the pressure released from the brake and diaphragm actuators, the coil springs BI shift the lug carrier to the position shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the lug carrier is in its retracted position, the lugs are clear of the clutch element and the bow spring 86 is effective in shifting the lug carrying ring to its original position, with the lug that is immediately adjacent the clutch element in aligning registry therewith so as to again be in position to lift the clutch element out of engagement as shown in Fig, 2.-

From the foregoing,-it is obvious that I have provided an indexing mechanism that is of simple and inexpensive construction and which effectively and positively locks the driving and driven members for the printing cylinder in position to maintain the desired relationships of the printing cylinder with the blanket cylinder.

What I claim anddesire to secure b Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus of the character described, concentrically rotatable driving and driven members, a clutch element pivotally carried by the driven member, a circular track carried by the driving member and having spaced engaging portions for the clutch element, a spring normally urging the clutch element into position for engaging one of said portions to effect a driving connection between said members, a lug carrier axially movable with respect to said members and having connection with the driving member, the lugs located on said lug carrier in corresponding relation with clutch element engaging portions for moving the clutch element out of engagement to effect release of the driving and driven members for advance of the driving member until the clutch element is engaged with the other of said lugs to drive the driven member while the clutch element is re-engaging with the related engaging portion, means for moving the lug carrier into and out of engaging position with said clutch element, said lug carrier having limited rotative movement with respect to the driving member permitting engagement of the clutch element with a clutch element engaging portion during advance of. the driving member, and a spring loaded responsive to said limited movement when said other lug engages the clutch element to bring said engaging lug into registry with the clutch element as the lug carrier is moved out of engaging'position with said clutch element.

2. In an apparatus of the character described, concentrically rotatable driving and driven members, a clutch element pivotally carried b the driven member, a circular track carried by the driving member and having spaced engaging portions for the clutch element, a spring normally urging the clutch element into position for engaging one of said portions to effect a driving relation between said members, a lug carrier axially movable with respect to said members and having connection with the driving member, lugs on said lug carrier in corresponding relation with the element engaging portions for moving the clutch element out of engagement in effecting release of the driven member and advance of the driving member until the clutch element is engaged by the following lug to drive the driven member while the clutch element i re-engaged with the related clutch element engaging portion, means for moving the lug carrier into and out of engaging position with said clutch element, a brake connected with the driven member for retarding rotation thereof, an actuator for the brake, means for rendering said actuator effective, said lug carrier having limited rotative movement with respect to the driving member permitting engagement of the clutch element with a clutch element engaging portion during advance of the driving member, and a spring loaded responsive to said limited movement when said lug engages the clutch element to bring said lug into registry with the clutch element as the lug carrier is moved out of engaging position with said clutch element.

3. In a rotary printing apparatus having a blanket cylinder and a plate cylinder with a pluralit of printing surfaces, a gear fix-ed relative to the blanket cylinder for rotation therewith, a driven member fixed relative to the plate cylinder and rotatable therewith, a clutch element pivotally carried by the driven member, a driving member concentrically mounted on the driven member for relative'rotation thereon, said driving member having a gear thereon meshing with the gear fixed to the blanket cylinder whereby the driving member is constantly rotated with said blanket cylinder, a clutch element pivotall carried by the driven member for swinging movement radially thereof, a circular track carried by the driving member and having a plurality of spaced engaging portions for the clutch element corresponding to the respective printing surfaces on the plate cylinder, said circular track and clutch element having corresponding sloping surfaces the engagement of which permits a portion of the clutch element to extend radially beyond the periphery of the driven member, a spring normally urging the clutch element into position for engaging one of the clutch element engaging portions to effect a driving relation between the driving and driven. members, a lug carrier axially movable with respect to said members and having connection with the driving member, lugs on said lug carrier in corresponding relation with the clutch element engaging portions and having a clutch element engaging surface substantially engaging the periphery of the driven member for moving the clutch element out of engagement in effecting release of the driven member and .advance of the driving member until the clutch element is engaged by the following lug to drive the driven member while the clutch element is reengaged with the related clutch element engaging portion, fluid actuated means for moving the lug carrier into and out of engaging position with. said clutch element, a brake connected with the driven member for retarding rotation thereof, an actuator for the brake, means for rendering said actuator effective, said lug carrier having limited rotative movement with, respect to the driving member permitting, engagement of the clutch element with a clutch element engaging portion during advance of the driving member, and a spring loaded responsive to said limited movement when said lug engagesv the clutch element to bring said lug into registry with the clutch element as the lug carrier ismoved out of engaging position with said clutch element.

ROBERT W. BENDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

